in Re: Shane Cain

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 1, 2015
Docket12-15-00143-CR
StatusPublished

This text of in Re: Shane Cain (in Re: Shane Cain) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
in Re: Shane Cain, (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

NO. ia--i5-com3-c^ | FILED IN COURT OF APPEALS 10ThCourt of Appeals Dlsf ct

IN THE jun -1m TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS

TYLER, TEXAS TYLER TEXAS CATHY S. LUSK, CLERK

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ORIGINAL PETITION

FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS

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IN RE

SHANE CAIN

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TRIAL COURT NO. 14,288-CR

349th DISTRICT COURT OF HOUSTON COUNTY, TEXAS

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ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED

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Shane Cain #537264

1697 FM 9S0

Huntsville, TX 773*3

(Relator) PARTIES

Relator is Shane Cain, #537264, whose address is 1697 FM 980, Hunsville, Texas 77343.

Respondent is the Honorable Pam Fletcher, 349th District Court, Houston County, Texas, whose address is the Houston County Courthouse, Crockett, TX 75835. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Parties i

Table of Contents ii Index of Authorities P- 1

Statement of Case P- 2 Statement of Jurisdiction P. 2 ISSUE PRESENTED: P. 2

IS THE APRIL 12. 1993 JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE IN CAUSE NO. 14.288-CR VOID

IN LIGHT OF ARTICLES 1 § 15 AND 1 § 29 OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, BILL OF

RIGHTS?

Statement of Facts: P. 2

Argument P• 3 PRAYER P. 4

Certification P. 4 Appendix-Exhibit A P. 5-

li INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

Texas Constitution: Article 1 § 15. Texas Constitution, Bill of Riqhts P. 2-3 Article 1 § 29, Texas Constitution- Bill of Riqhts P. 2-3

Statutes:

Article 1.13. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure P. 2-3

Texas Cases:

Cantral & M- R. Co. v. Morris, 3 S.W. 457 (Sud. 1887) P. 3 Murphy v. Phillips, 63 S.W. 404 ("Civ. App. 1933) P. 3

P. 1 STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Relator was charged with the offense of Possession of a Deadly Weapon in a Penal Institution in the 349th District Court of Houston County, Texas, Cause no. 14,288-CR.

On April 12, 1993 Relator waived his right to trial by jury, pled guilty, and the trial court entered a Judgment and Sentence finding Relator guilty and sentenced him to 35 years in TDCJ without a trial by jury. (See Attached Exhibit A, Judgment and Sentence in Cause no. 14,288-CR)

JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to Article V § 6 of the Texas Consti tution.

ISSUE PRESENTED

IS THE APRIL 12, 1993 JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE IN CAUSE NO. 14,288-CR VOID

IN LIGHT OF ARTICLES 1 § 15 AND 1 § 29 OF THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, BILL OF RIGHTS?

STATEMENT 07 FACTS

On April 12, 1993, Relator waived his right to trial by jury, pled guilty, to the Offense of Possession of a Deadly Weapon in a Penal Institution in cause no. 14, 238-CR. Relator waived his right to a trial by jury under Art. 1.13, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (a void law). The 349th District Court than found Relator guilty and entered a Judgment and Sentence and sentenced Relator to 35 years in TDCJ; entering a void judgment where it is based on a void law as outlined herein.

P. 2 ARGUMENT

Article 1.13, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, is a law enacted by the

Texas Legislature in 1965. It is a law that gives non-capital/non-death penalty defendants the right to "waive" their right to a trial by jury. This law is void under Article 1 5 29 of the Texas Constitutions Bill of Rights because Article 1.13, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure is contrary to Article 1 § 15 of the Texas Constitutions Bill of Riqhts as outlined herein:

In 1935 the voters of this great state adopted Article 1 § 15 of the Texas Constitutions Bill of Rights, which specifically states that, "The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate." Additionally, and to emphasize the importance and seriousness of this right, the voters also adopted Article 1 5 29 of the Texas Bill of Rights that further state: "To guard against transgressions of the high powers herein deleqated, we declare that everything in this "Bill of Rights" is excepted out of the general powers of government, and SHALL FOREVER REMAIN INVIOLATE, AND ALL LAWS CONTRARY THERETO, or to the following provisions. SHALL BE VOID."

Article 1 § 29 of the Bill or Rights specifically prohibits the legislature from enacting any law that is contrary to the Bill of Rights and any law that is contrary to the Bill of Rights is to be declared void. It is obviouslv clear that Article 1 § 15 of the Bill of Riqhts states that n ii the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate and Article 1.13 of the Texas i' " Code of Criminal procedures "law" enacted by the legislature to allow the waiver of this right are clearly contrary to eachother and the law is void under Article 1 § 29 of the Bill of Rights. In 1887 the Texas Supreme Court has even held that. "The right of trial by jury cannot be defeated by a legislative enactment." Central & M- R. Co. v. Morris, 3 S.W. 457 (SUP. 1887) and, "When the Legislature has clearly and directlv done something contrary to the Bill of Riqhts. the judiciary must declare such enactment void." Murphv v. Phillips, 63 S.W. 404 (Civ- App. 1933). In the case at hand. Relator is not askinq this court to declare Article 1.13

of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure void. Relator is specifically asking the Court to simply modify or overturn the judgment in cause no. 14,288-CR where it is a void judgment based on a void law. The 6

fkoY f.'cjkf -fo ck. ]vty trial. There-fcr*, -fht juJ^M^f «*" ^^s c(kS^ ]s voj because fWf< ^a r m jury -fr/W ^^ q jury canwr P< NO OTHER AVAILABLE REMEDY

A writ of mandamus is an appropriate remedy in this case where the Relator is not allowed to file anv petitions for writ of habeas corpus' in Houston County and mandamus is the appropriate remedy for a void judgment.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, Relator prays that the Court will consider granting relief by either of the following:

1. Vacate or overturn the judgment in cause no- 14,288-CR and remand this case back to the trial court for a jury trial, or 2. Reform or modify the judoment in cause no. 14,288-CR by reducing the 35 year sentence imposed and reduce it to a ten (10) year sentence to be ran "concurrently" with Relators prior 99 year sentence in cause no. 91-0984-CR from Guadalupe County, Texas, to resolve this issue and make this a "moot" issue.

NOTE: Relator has already been in prison for the last 26 years and is currently serving a 99 vear sentence. Overturninq or modifyinq the -judgment in cause no. 14.2^8-CR will not cause Relator to be released from prison.

Respectfully submitted on this 28th day of May 2015.

xiz4 M0 Shane Cain #537264

1607 FM 980

Huntsville. TX 77343

CERTIFICATION

I, Shane Cain, Relator, have reviewed this petition and conclude that every factual statement in this petition is supported by competent evidence included in the appendix and record.

Shane Cain—Relator

P. 4 VOL vJU'J ' ?5$ JOvJ NO. 14,288-CR

THE STATE OF TEXAS s IN THE DISTR&T COURT,OF s VS. s HOUSTON COUNTY, TiEXA^ ~ s ! g » :"£ SHANE CAIN s 3RD\349TH JUblCIAt' D££TRI<2T/; ~ ~o JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE ON PLEA OF CD m GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDERE BEFORE COURT WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL en

Judge Presiding: ^ |fTtV GMttfUW Date of Judgment: J-)~~}£^/3 7 Attorney attorney Attorney » •> ^w , for States RAY MONTGOMERY :or Defendant: J<%y £ t/ftS Offense Convicted of: t& {OWI AgywwtedeL fismomlM. with a ~ Date Offense Committed: nil 08-13-92 d*w«1j Wdhya ms^s^yi err a. JjZMW .

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Related

Central & Montgomery Railroad v. Morris & Crawford
3 S.W. 457 (Texas Supreme Court, 1887)
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in Re: Shane Cain, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-shane-cain-texapp-2015.